[159] Seattle maintained their first-place position in the Western Conference despite several losses in the summer, but fell into a winless streak over the final six matches of the season to finish second in the West. Its also true that at least publicly, Roth was the guy making fan-friendly pronouncements like well never get outbid for a U.S. Open Cup final again. While Hanauers statements are often shades of gray, Roths were usually black or white. [69] Longtime forward Fredy Montero left Seattle on loan to Colombian club Millonarios F.C. The deal put the team's value at $700 million, by far the most for a franchise. That all changed on Tuesday when the the Sounders announced that 11 new families had joined the ownership group as minority stakeholders, buying out the remainder of Roths share (Update: three more families have joined the ownership group since the initial announcement). [91], Former Real Salt Lake general manager Garth Lagerwey was hired by the club in January 2015, replacing Adrian Hanauer. That led to BBC commentator Ross Fletcher becoming the club's television and radio play-by-play commentator beginning with the 2012 season, working alongside Kasey Keller as the color commentator. Hanauer, however, suggested that was never a particularly acute concern. Gorilla FC is a Sounders supporters group that sits in the south end of Lumen Field in Sections 119 and 120. In other words, he does not have to clear every signing with a bunch of different people. PEORIA, Ariz. - He came to Seattle in 2016 as a mystery man, hand-picked by new general manager Jerry Dipoto as the latest candidate to try to lead the Mariners out of their playoff desert . With the loss of Roth and the addition of a new group of owners, Hanauers life gets a little bit simpler, and a lot more complicated. Wilson and Ciara. The Sounders are ranked as one of the most valuable franchises in North America. [133] Seattle then faced the Portland Timbers in the Conference Semifinals, losing the away leg 21 and winning the home leg 32 to tie the series on aggregate after extra time. That doesnt seem to be of particular concern, either. [240], The SeattlePortland and SeattleVancouver rivalries formed among the respective NASL teams in the mid-1970s and carried on through to the USL and MLS. [116][117] The Sounders then defeated the Colorado Rapids 31 on aggregate in the final, clinching a spot in their first-ever MLS Cup. [276] Gary Wright was named MLS Executive of the Year in 2009. [129][130], On September 1, the club broke the MLS record for most consecutive wins in the post-shootout era, having won eight consecutive matches. [35], Before the first match of the Sounders' second season, the club increased the number of season ticket holders to 32,000. [148][149], The Sounders cancelled an away match against the LA Galaxy in August to join a multi-sport boycott to protest racial injustice. From its MLS inception until 2022, the team qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffsthe longest record in league historyand competed in the CONCACAF Champions League six times, becoming the first MLS team to win the modern version of the competition in 2022. [6], In a June 14, 1994, announcement, Seattle was not included among the first seven cities to be awarded an MLS team. [156] The Sounders retained the Cascadia Cup with a 211 record, including a 62 away victory over the Portland Timbers. By 2000, MLS was moving away from league-operated teams to investor-operated teams, so wealthy individuals would need to step forward for Seattle to obtain an MLS expansion team. For other similarly named teams, see, "The Sounders" redirects here. Mike Gebauer, manager of the 18,000 . In the ensuing penalty shootout, Portland won 42; the home leg is considered to be one of the best playoff matches in league history due to its dramatic finish. [11] While the stadium problem was being resolved, a new issue emerged. [280], The Sounders organization announced in 2014 that it would field a second-division reserve team in the United Soccer League, managed by the team and partially owned by members of a fan-owned group. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. The Sounders are now the league's most valuable franchise at $175 million, a massive 483% increase over its 2009 sale price. 2:25 Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and his wife, R&B superstar Ciara, have joined Seattle-based rapper Macklemore as part of the ownership of Seattle Sounders FC of Major. Alas, we dont know that very important variable. Season ticket holders become automatic members, while non-season ticket holders may buy into the Alliance for a fee. . [108][109] The same day, the club announced their signing of Uruguayan midfielder Nicols Lodeiro on a designated player contract,[110] as well as the return of former designated player lvaro Fernndez. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). Russell Wilson and Ciara have been added to the MLS Seattle Sounders ownership group, This is the QB's first stake in a sports ownership @brgridiron Russell and Ciara also created their own. [279] In 2019, the club announced that they would become carbon neutral by reducing emissions and purchasing offsets. [199], Providence Health & Services was announced as the club's new jersey sponsor at a Renton event on January 20, 2023. After the Kingdome was approved as a host venue, the American League awarded the Seattle franchise to a group of investors for $6.5 million. I dont think thats the kind of announcement he was speaking about, though. On October 5, 2010, Seattle won the U.S. Open Cup final, 21, becoming the first team since 1983 to repeat as U.S. Open Cup champions. On September 2, 2009, the Sounders became the second MLS expansion team in league history (Chicago was the first) to win the U.S. Open Cup tournament in its first season. But if you were hoping for some ultra deep-pocketed billionaire to seize control of the team and start using it as their personal vanity project, youre probably a bit bummed. A refurbished Starfire or an entirely new facility could put the Sounders back into the training ground elite. These sorts of results are notoriously unreliable, and are probably overstating Roths worth given that hes going through a divorce that will probably cut his wealth in half. After an up-and-down 2022, Morriss opened the 2023 campaign with one of his best-ever performances. Cup", "Sounders stunned in CONCACAF Champions League, losing in penalty shootout to visiting CD Olimpia", "Due to coronavirus concerns, Sounders cancel all operations at practice facility after MLS season suspension", "Mistakes by Sounders make it easier for LAFC to knock them out of MLS is Back tournament", "No fans doesn't mean Sounders still won't put on good show, and it takes nothing from the victory", "Will Sounders rely on teen lineup against Sporting Kansas City? [113], At the end of the regular season, Jordan Morris was named the MLS Rookie of the Year after scoring the most goals of any American rookie in MLS (12),[114] and Nicols Lodeiro was named MLS Newcomer of the Year for his 4 goals and 8 assists in 13 appearances. The Sounders compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. The team set a new MLS record for average attendance in each of its first five seasons. [2] In 1994, as the U.S. was preparing to host the FIFA World Cup, more than 30 cities were pursuing the rights to an MLS team, Seattle being among them. [221], While the Sounders currently play on FieldTurf, Lumen Field has previously had temporary natural grass installed for international soccer events. [59] Seattle reached the U.S. Open Cup Final for the fourth consecutive year, becoming the first team to do so since 1937,[60] but lost to Sporting Kansas City in a penalty shootout after a 11 draw. [187] As part of the agreement, Xbox branding appeared on the front of the Sounders' jerseys and throughout the stadium, beginning with the Xbox 360 and Xbox Live and later replaced with the Xbox One (simply shown as "XBOX"). Feb. 21Puget Sound Energy is pushing for legislation that would help it secure a large ownership stake in new renewable projects in the state. The Sounders were the first MLS team to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup. [76] As players returned to the team, Seattle improved to a six-win, four-loss record in 14 matches by late June. There were other interested groups, Hanauer said. newsletter, Ride of the Valkyries - A Seattle Reign blog, #TheFuture: Sounders 2, the Academy and Sounders U23s, Sounders vs. Rapids: community player ratings form. In fact, Hanauer said that while there were other groups of non-locals interested in buying Roths stake and possibly even more than that he felt they all shared his vision of what has made the club great. We go 5-on-5: 1. If Hanauer really increased his holdings by 16 percent which would give him a true majority this offering would have. "Seattle Sounders" redirects here. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. The biggest complaint about CenturyLink might be the lack of grass, something Hanauer brought up unprompted as a possible improvement down the line. [122] The season began with only five wins in the first 17 matches, but was followed by a 13-match unbeaten streak and additional wins to clinch a second-place spot in the Western Conference. [193][194], The Sounders contracted talent firm WME-IMG to explore new jersey sponsorship and other advertising opportunities in 2017, shortly before the expiration of the Microsoft contract. [279] The financial success of the team is driven in large part by their high attendance figures and local popularity. Its been speculated that Hanauer may have actually moved to acquire 50+1 percent of the pie, which would make it impossible for anyone to seize control of the team without going through him. Gambling problem? If those numbers haven't changed, Carey owns AT LEAST 7.5% of the Sounders, though it's probably more in the neighborhood of a 10% stake (or even higher). [11], In 2003, Seattle was again listed as a possibility for an MLS expansion team when the ten-team league announced plans to expand into new markets. [171][172] Prior to his appointment, Waibel was serving as the club's technical director, having replaced former MLS player and Everett native Chris Henderson in January 2021; Henderson had served in the role from January 24, 2009, until he left the club to join Inter Miami CF. On October 25, 2014, the final game of the 2014 regular season, the Sounders defeated the LA Galaxy 20 to secure and win their first Supporters' Shield. [243][244], The fan-created Heritage Cup competition with the San Jose Earthquakes began in the 2009 MLS season. [115] The Sounders advanced from the Knockout Round of the playoffs through a 10 win over Sporting Kansas City, and beat FC Dallas 42 on aggregate to return to the Conference Final. Myerson seemed to raise that specter in a blog post about the process behind assembling the group of owners. The official team colors are Sounder Blue, signifying the waters of the Puget Sound; Rave Green, representing the forests of the Pacific Northwest; and Cascade Shale, representing the Cascade Range to the east of Seattle. As a programmer I charge $150/h 40 hour minimum blocks. [34] During the 2009 season, all 15 Sounders MLS regular season home matches, its home playoff match, and its four home U.S. Open Cup matches (played at Starfire Sports Complex) were sold out. [286] The academy fields teams in four age levels in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy system,[287] and is affiliated with youth clubs in Washington, North Carolina, and Central California. Carey has increased his investment in the team as well, according to Hanauer. Prior to this change, Hanauer said he owned 35 percent, Roth had 32.5 percent, the Paul Allen estate had 25 percent which is now controlled by Allen's sister Jody and operated by Vulcan Sports and Entertainment and Drew Carey had 7.5 percent. [186], The team's ownership revealed the first Sounders jersey on May 28, 2008, and announced Microsoft as the team's sponsor in a five-year deal worth approximately $20million. [291] This team would field former academy players during their summers off from university teams. [235] The club's fight song is "Salute to the Olympians" by Henry Mancini, which had been adopted by the NASL Sounders in 1974 and later used by the USL Sounders. Braudilio Rodrigues joins Defiance after putting up rather ridiculous numbers in NCAA DII. Hanauer insisted that each of them were already fans of the team and were enthusiastic about playing a role in taking it to new heights. in January and, by July, was loaned to Sporting CP in Portugal with an option to buy; Montero was sold permanently to Sporting in 2014. The jersey is primarily red with a stylized dragon on the front and includes yellow and black accents as well as the symbols of Jeet Kune Do and Lee's signature. Oops. [70][71] The Sounders began the 2013 season with the knockout round of the 201213 Champions League, facing Mexican club Tigres UANL in the quarterfinals. Most members of the new ownership group are expected to attend. Hanauer is even more invested in this team both literally and figuratively than he ever has been before. Reynolds and McElhenney won't pay any money up front, which is unique for an ownership stake. Hanauer has made it known that to the degree all teams would ideally have their own stadium, he would love to have the Sounders playing in a soccer palace on par with the great teams of the world. .mw-parser-output .citation{word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}^ 1. [99] The playoff run would end in the next round, the Western Conference semifinals against FC Dallas, during a penalty shootout after both teams were tied on aggregate score after extra time in Frisco, Texas. . [278], A 2015 study by Forbes ranked the Sounders number one in the league in terms of annual revenues ($50million) and operating income ($10million). [80][81] The Sounders beat the Colorado Rapids 20 in the knockout round, and drew rivals Portland in the conference semifinal. SEATTLE As the Seattle Sounders ownership group has grown to more than a dozen families over the past year, the franchise has continued to add more meaningful names to the list of those. [277] In 2012, he was named Seattle Sports Star Executive of the Year. 24 The ownership group was led by entertainer Danny Kaye, who provided most of the initial financing, and Lester Smith. During the Round of 16, Jordan Morris injured his ACL and was deemed unfit to play for the rest of the season. Former Microsoft executive Terry Myerson contacted Hanauer to see what he could do about strengthening local ownership ties. [44], The Sounders began the 2011 season by hosting the opening match of the MLS season for the third straight year, losing 10 to the Los Angeles Galaxy. The MLS expansion team Seattle Sounders FC, began its inaugural season in 2009 at the stadium. [292] This branding agreement was terminated by the Sounders in January 2020. [136] Defender Chad Marshall, who had joined in 2014, announced his retirement from professional soccer on May 22, leaving unexpectedly mid-way through the season. As the majority owner, Hanauer was clear that the buck will stop with him. The team announced Griffey has purchased a stake in the club that drafted him in 1987 and watched him grow into a . [87], After a disappointing 2013 season, the Sounders replaced starting goalkeeper Michael Gspurning with Toronto's Stefan Frei. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Seattle's MLS team is also the second in attendance for the year, with an average of 39,598 attendees per game, according to Bloomberg. [108] Schmetzer was made permanent head coach in November 2016, following the team's qualification for that year's playoffs. [37] They finished the season with 14 wins, 10 losses, and 6 ties. [27] Seattle was the first MLS expansion team to win its first three matches, and they did so with a shutout in each. [144], Seattle opened the 2020 season with the CONCACAF Champions League, where they lost in the round of 16 to C.D. But Hanauer is also quick to point out that there are a lot more positives about CenturyLink Field than there are negatives, noting the location, access and amenities (even if Sounders fans dont get to enjoy all of them). in the Chinese Super League,[104] a move that would hamper the Sounders' offense during the season. [165] As CONCACAF champions, Seattle became the first MLS club to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup. Remarking that the announcement of the new ownership structure of the organization was bittersweet, Hanauer recalled his first meeting with now-departed investor/operator Joe Roth at the MLS All-Star game in Colorado, where Roth said he wanted to bring a MLS franchise to Seattle. [239] The North End Faithful sit in the north end of the stadium beneath the "Hawks Nest" in sections 100 and 144152. [301][302] In 2018, the team renewed its agreements with KCPQ and KZJO; in addition, the team announced a new streaming deal with YouTube TV for exclusive rights to stream the team's matches within Washington state. We have some exciting announcements to roll out, Hanauer said. Foundation has also partnered with the NFL Players Association and Goalsetter to donate $35,000 to the students of West Seattle's Denny International Middle . Sunday, Feb 26, 2023, 10:19 PM. [142][143] Seattle hosted the MLS Cup final against Toronto FC, playing them for the third time in four years, and won 31 to clinch their second championship. [250], The ownership group of the club is composed of three owners and an ownership group composed of 14 families. [137] Despite the loss of these two players, in addition to the suspension of Romn Torres for ten matches for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance in August,[138] the Sounders finished 2nd in the Western Conference and 4th in the overall league table. If Hanauer really increased his holdings by 16 percent which would give him a true majority this offering would have placed the Sounders value at about $360 million. News of Roths decision to step back meant that other interested groups from outside the area were looking to pursue the Sounders, which could have led to an uncertain future. "I think ownership in MLS is very interested in the economic impact of this deal and I think they're in line with whatever this deal brings . The majority owner is Adrian Hanauer, the former owner of the now defunct USL-1 team Seattle Sounders. 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